Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Yesterday we launched the first post about the new watches that are being launched at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) will start again, where 19 brands will be exhibiting their new marvelous watch collections. And, Baume & Mercier just released the pictures of the Capeland Flyback Chronograph 42mm in stainless steel with black dial.

Baume & Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph

Baume & Mercier is a real watch brand that has been founded in 1830 and has seen many faces. The last couple of years they went back to the basics and in 2011 they presented a complete new face of the brand and it’s collection with the following four families:

It was a logical and we dare to say wise move to make such an elegant and historic piece in a smaller version. The 2011 version with a white dial is 46mm and this years edition is a more modest 42mm, like all the other Capeland models in the collection. Both models are inspired by the original version from 1948!

Each part of the self-winding movement with the great flyback chronograph function, which is manufactured by La Joux Perret, is visible through the sapphire crystal case-back, including an open-worked rotor, with the” Côtes de Genève” design finish and snail décor, with the Greek Phi letter, which Baume & Mercier uses as their logo.

2012 Baume & Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph

Baume & Mercier expects to deliver the first pieces of this elegant timepiece during Spring this year. But as a WatchFreak you know all Swiss Watch Brands have huge back logs, therefore please contact your Authorised Dealer to reserve yours:

It has been known for a while that this year IWC is unveiling a new range of Pilot watches. As the Pilot collection of IWC is a legendary and hard seller, the expectations are high. One model has been released already:

IWC Pilot Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar

On Monday January 16th, 2012 the 21th edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) will start again, where 19 brands will be exhibiting their new marvelous watch collections. And, IWC just released the images of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar, named after the former location of the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (which is also known as TOP GUN).

The 48 mm case is dark grey ceramic – in the photos it seems to have a glossy finish – with a dial that has faux patina and a green nylon strap. Inside is the IWC cal. 89365 flyback movement, similar to that in the Portuguese Chronograph Yacht Club.

Alongside the chronograph, the Top Gun Miramar range will also have a 48 mm Big Pilot with a similar design.

IWC Pilot Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar Backside

The press release also indicates that we can expect the following eye candies:

– an all new Big Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Miramar with similar design elements as the Chronograph Top Gun Miramar and the same movement, caliber 51111, as the regular Big Pilot’s Watch;

– a first for the regular collection: new Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun features a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve;

– What everyone expected: the size of the regular Pilot’s Watch Chronograph increase with 1 mm, now 43 mm in diameter.

– A logical move in the sequel: the launch of the new Pilot Watch Mark XVII with a diameter of 41 mm (2 mm larger than the previous Mark XVI).

– The gold chrono is back: the Spitfire Chronograph with its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre will be available in red gold.

– A long anticipated version: new Pilot’s Watch World Timer with a 24-hour ring that makes it possible to look at all 24 time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards in one-hour steps – also when crossing the International Date Line.

– A new 46mm Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph and features new red design elements on the dial.

The IWC Pilot 2012 TOPGUN Ceramic Fighters Watch

As the waiting lists have been long for several years already for new IWC models, make sure to pre-order yours at your local Authorised Dealers:

As you guys know, WatchFreaks Blog, is a brain child of mine and has never been intended as a commercial medium… Rather I have seen it as an open platform for all WatchFreaks to share their ideas about their passion: WATCHES :)

Unfortunately I really lack time to share my objective thoughts about my passion for watches :( As online activities at AceJewelers.com are booming, all my (online/social media) efforts are absorbed there…

Therefore I have to sadly write that I will not upload an objective daily BaselWorld update this year here on WatchFreaksBlog.com! In case you do appreciate my vision of the subjective side of the WatchWorld, please visit the Ace Jewelers Blog here on WordPress as of Monday March 28th, 2011 for daily picture and movie updates of the watch brands that we represent.

I postponed this decision for months, but as my SIHH 2011 Trade Show Review is still stored as a draft, I had to face reality… Hope you respect my decision.

And this is a trend unfortunately, because all the other contributors are drowning in their own watch activities… Therefore I transforming this post in to a non-profit job opening :)

ALWAYS WANTED TO SHARE YOUR (QUALITATIVE) THOUGHTS ABOUT WATCHES AND THE WATCH INDUSTRY?
PLEASE JOIN WATCHFREAKSBLOG.COM AS AN EDITOR. Applying the “http://five.sentenc.es policy”, please send a short e-mail to info [at] watchfreaksblog.com describing why you want to join us.

Thank you for your support and hope you enjoy all the eye & wrist candies this year as much as I do :)

It has been a while since I have written a nice blog post here. I love watches and really like to speak & philosophize about them, I regret that I lack time to share my thoughts here with you. As you might know I am blessed to have a chance to make a profession of my passion: I work at Ace Jewelers. Since our online activities took of in 2009, I have to focus my attention there. I regret that I could not write an objective trade show review anymore.

And, if you just want to see pictures of the newest watches, please visit Ace Jewelers’ Flickr photostream: www.flickr.com/acejewelers

I will try to write independent and objective posts from Basel in this blog, but I hope you understand and respect the fact my priority lies at Ace Jewelers… This post is not intended as promotion for Ace… This blog is truly objective and therefore we don’t have any sponsors and/or banners on this blog… My intention is to keep it like this :)

It will be the first time that Itay Noy will be exhibiting his wonderful artisan watches at BaselWorld this year. Make sure not to miss his stand, he will personally be at Hall 5.1 Stand V06.

As you know I was blown away when I found about Itay Noy and his watches when I read an article about him in the in-flight magazine flying from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv :) Click here to read the article I wrote back in 2008.

Today I had the honor to have a sneak preview of the newest models designed and produced by Itay Noy and ofcourse he authorized us to publize them here, a true WatchFreaks premier:

All new case - Itay Noy ID Classic

Side view of the all new Itay Noy Classic ID Watch

New Itay Noy Watch (42,3mm Automatic)

New Itay Noy Watch (New case and Automatic movement)

ID Collection by Itay Noy - Japan Edition

The last watch is the Japan Edition of the all new ID Collection by Itay Noy. He told me that the ID Collection will be available in Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic and Greek (and probably some more languages).

I can’t wait to see them in real life. As of Thursday 18 March 2010 they will be on display during BaselWorld at Hall 5.1 Stand V06. For an overview of the current collection of Itay Noy you can visit the official website (Itay-Noy.com) or the Ace Jewelers eBoutique (AceJewelers.com).

One of the hidden treasures of the Netherlands has come to light today!

Watches were packed away in boxes, in drawers or safes, or even visible on the wrists of proud owners, but today they can be viewed by all enthusiasts. The Netherlands knows thousands of watch-lovers – People who sometimes have a fortune to spend on just that one special watch –that ultimate wrist–ornament: to possess that wonder of refined mastery! From this inheritance ,the Lexus Dutch Watch Heritage, together with fascinated and passionate watch-lovers, brings this exceptional event. Meant for the collectors who would like to display their treasures and for all others who feel drawn towards the unique world of the quality timepiece.

The Lexus Dutch Watch Heritage gathers together 100 rare or unique watches. These will be exhibited to the public at the Netherlands Gold-, Silver-, and Clock Museum in Schoonhoven on Saturday 27th June and then from Tuesday 30th June up to and including Sunday 5th July. On these days you can visit the exhibition and admire models from top brands such as IWC, Rolex, Breitling, Jaeger Le Coultre and many others. Ace Jewelers will display a number of the latest timepieces next to this wonderful collection. Then you have the opportunity to look at and try the present-day models of IWC, Breitling, Edox, Tag Heuer and Omega. Ace Jewelers shows watches with a long history -for example the IWC Big Pilot, the legendary Breitling Navitimer and also watches with very complex movements like the Edox Minute Repeater. R

eadings on the Sunday give the subject more depth, and a taxation of one’s own watch allows active participation to the event for the watch enthusiast. The Netherlands’ only two honoured taxateurs, Anton Gaemers and Ronny Wooter have given their co-operation to, and will be present during the event. Anton Gaemers, timepiece- technician from the Hague, whose family have been active in chronometry since 1877, is the curator of the exhibition: ‘The Netherlands has probably more than a thousand serious timepiece collectors and it is fantastic to be able to exhibit the most beautiful and unique of this legacy’. Ronny Wooter, watch specialist from Sotheby’s, will share his expertise on taxation, amoung other subjects. Together these two gentlemen will provide lectures about the history and value of watches. Ace Jewelers will also provide a reading about watches and contemporary models. In short, an exhibition full of narratives, romance and craftsmanship.

Every watch has a story: the history of its origin, the specialities of the subject, the history of the brand and not forgetting the story behind the owner of the watch. Not only inspired timepiece technicians, but also pilots, racing-drivers, filmstarsand aspiring rivalling magnates figure in the story of watches. The exhibition is open to the public on Saturday 27th June, 2009 and from Tuesday 30 June up to and including 5th July 2009. The entrance fee is EUR 6,- p.p.

Today was my last day at the Basel Trade Fair and was originally planned for jewelry visits in Hall 2. The hardcore watch fans know that they should not be stucked in Hall 1, 3 and 5. Hall 2, officially the high-end jewelry hall, also has some ‘pearl’ watch brands present there.

Since it was our last day I did not have much time to take pictures, but I do want to share this picture quickly:

One of these pearls in hall 2 is Scalfaro. Therefore, I did make some time to visit my friend Dominik Kunhle, who founded Scalfaro with his brother 7 years ago. They are born and raised in Germany and part of a jewelry maker family. The Kunhle Brothers are great WatchFreaks and in 2002 they started to turn their dreams into reality. Every since, the do not only create interesting designs, but actually manufacture 70% of all the components themselves in their factory in Switzerland.

Unfortunately we did not have a lot of time to sit down relaxed and take that many pictures. But there is something that struck me as off during this fair: the lack of options provided by the watch manufacturers for watch owners to personalize their watches. I personally believe that this is the future (or actually back to the roots) of high-end watchmaking! I salute Vacheron Constatin with the introduction of the Quai de L’Ile collection about year and a half ago. My personal dream is also to design and manufacture a mechanical watch one day. With my family we made the first steps and have a prototype of a case ready, but even I underestimated how much work it takes to get things done. So, I know why high-end watch brands are NOT eager to make custom made watches.

My questions to you, my fellow WatchFreaks:

1. Did you have the need to have your watch personalized?

2. If so, what would you like to personalize? Dial, Case, name on movement, complete model, etc?

3. How much more would you be willing to spend (percentage) to get this done?

It was another amazing day, filled with watches. We visited Halls 1, 3 and 4 today. The day started at Ebel revising the watches dedicated to soccer:

Ebel Limited Edition AFC AJAX (150 pcs)

Ebel Real Madrid Tekton (Bezel is made of sapphire glass, instead or rubber).

Going from soccer into another sport, Graham dedicated its passion for racing:

Graham GMT Flyback Chrono Racing

What do you think of the infamous ChronoFighter models by Graham?

Graham ChronoFighter

Graham ChronoFighter

Graham ChronoFighter

Not only Graham loves racing, the brand that has the most racing DNA of all, is Heuer! I already wrote that I feel it is a year of ‘going back to the basics’. They also went back to their roots and honoured the 40th anniversary of the Heuer Monoca:

A replica of the first Monaco, they kept it as close as possible to the original ‘Heuer Monaco 1969′. What I really liked is that they used the old Heuer logo and not the most recent TAG Heuer logo on the dial, case back and folding clasp.

Back-side of Heuer Monaco 1969 re-edition (original calibre 11).

Modern interpetation of the TAG Heuer Monaco, available from summer 2009!

TAG Heuer Grande Carrera Calibre 36

Yesterday we did not have time to finish our meeting at Hamilton and went back today. This color really cought my eye:

New Hamilton ETO in unique colour: GunGrey!

New Hamilton strap: Leather or rubber? Yes… It is a rubber strap with a alligator print! Cool, no?!

Modern (?!) interpetation of classic Pilots watches…

Talking about re-editions and vintage models, one of the most legendary diving watches in the Omega collection is the Seamaster PloProf:

Omega Ploprof 2009

Sideview of the Omega PloProf

Omega Seamaster PloProf on my wrist (sorry for the blurry image).

With a matching folding clasp!

Going from legendary diving watch, to a very interesting diving watch made by Oris. The talking piece of Oris in 51mm (who says big is over?!):

New Oris Diver Chrono 1000m with VERY special bezel…

Oris Diver 2009: You have to lift the outer bezel vertically and only then can you spin the CERAMIC diving bezel. The chrono is 100 bar waterproof.

Tomorrow is my last day in Basel… Already bugged out that I will not have time to see everything that I planned on seeing… One week of Watch Magic is simply NOT enough :s

Most of the visitor of BaselWorld start in the impressive Hall 1.0 and you can not pass this hall without stoping at Rolex and Patek Philippe! Hereby some snapshot (my apologies for the poor quality).

I was not impressed with all the novelties this year. It seems a year of ‘going back to your roots’. Although everyone expected that it would be a quite fair, it was rather busy (visitors) and many brands still sounded positive…

Last year Rolex ‘rocked’ the fair with the introduction of The Dipsy, but this year I was not impressed AT ALL! It seems a year of flowers… Yes! Flowers. Check the dial:

Midsize Rolex Oyster with floral pattern on dial…

I did not take the effort to make a picture of the new bi-color submariners… We all know how the look like ;)

At Patek it also seemed like a ladies year… Focus was on the PP Seal and relaunch of midsize Nautilus models in precious metals with diamonds.

Patek Philippe Nautilus mid size

The platinum version is one of my favourite PPs, but I have to admit this gold version looks amazing!

We met an unique watchmaker that designed many amazing movements for the grand brands, still does, but also started his own brand:

Marc Alfieri Tourbillon GMT Watch

Ulysse Nardin knows what ‘freaky’ watches are, but they also started making cellular phones. Robert-Jan presented the back of the phone with a mechanical movement here couple of weeks ago, here is the front of the ‘Chairman':

It is still unknown what the exact retail price will be…

Breitling proudly presented the new Chronomat models with the manufacture B01 movement:

Breitling Chronomat 2009

And, for their 125th anniversary this year, the created a limited edition Navitimer:

Breitling Navitimer 125th Anniversaire – Limited to 2009 pieces.

Seiko is 120+ old manufacture that also went back to their roots. The new Seiko “Ananta” collection does not only present new hybrid Spring Drive movements, but also manufacture automatic movements inspired by the original Samuari swords:

All new Seiko Ananta Automatic Chronograph

All new Seiko Ananta Automatic Power Reserve Hamilton slightly went back to their roots too, by launching the Automatic version of the Ventura (see our post about this watch)… But they are looking WAY ahead in the future, check these amazing new designs:

Hamilton ODC X–02 (front view)

Hamilton ODC X–02 (side view)

But this is not all, this is also a revolutionairy watch:

Hamilton Khaki BASE jump watches

Yes, you simply activate and reset the chrono by turning the bezel!

Also Longines went back to their roots and brought back some legandary watches, we are rather keen of this one:

Today I arrived in Basel and started the infamous trade fair visit with a dinner with a true artisan: Itay Noy. The watch maker of exclusive and hand made watches bearing his own name “Itay Noy”.

WFB first wrote about Itay Noy about a year ago: “Switzerland: The Holy Land?” and then I wrote that I tried that we would interview Itay Noy. Tonight was an informal dinner, but Itay promised to do a Q&A exclusively for WatchFreaks Blog. To be continued.

Same background info:

Internationally-acclaimed Israeli artist Itay Noy transforms telling time into a true art form. Each of his hand crafted, limited edition timepieces is made exclusively in Israel and appeals to those seeking unusual, high-quality watches. The recipient of eight prizes, including the prestigious Andrea M. Bronfman Prize in 2007, Noy lectures on timepiece design at Bezalel in Jerusalem. His work has been exhibited in museums all over the world and acquired by the Charles Bronfman Collection in New York, The Droog Design in Amsterdam, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem and The Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Each timepiece tells a story in time — from broken dimensions in the Fractal collection to simultaneous dichotomy in Duality and elusive cityscapes in City Squares. Noy’s timepieces satisfy the desire for a sublime mixture of unique design and functional perfection. Ace Jewelers is proud to be the sole and exclusive retailer of Itay Noy Timepieces in Europe!

Hereby some snap shots of the items we examined and adored over dinner (sorry for the poor lighting):

Itay Noy hommage to the greatest squares in major cities… Guess which one this is :)HINT

Itay Noy: Discrete Bling Bling – Black Diamonds (unisex model)

For an overview of the complete collection of Itay Noy, please visit the official website of the watchmaker: www.Itay-Noy.com or the reseller of his timepieces in Europe: www.AceJewelers.com (yes, as the CEO of Ace Jewelers, I am proud to announce that because of WFB, we became an AD of these unique watches :) ).